In New Zealand, animal agriculture is huge business. According to government statistics, there were nearly 3.7 million beef cattle, over 6.4 million dairy cattle, and over 30 million sheep in New Zealand in June 2013 1. Another vitally important industry in New Zealand is tourism, and our marketing image is that of a clean, greenRead More…

Many antagonistic meat-eaters love to jeer at vegans and vegetarians and say lines such as “what about all the plants you’re murdering, they feel pain too”. On one side of the coin, it’s a bit of a cop out because they don’t want to think about the signficant pain and suffering they’re causing animals; onRead More…

Most people believe that the way a cow produces milk for humans is as natural as a bee pollinating a flower. The majority of dairy food consumers don’t realise that these cows are typically artificially impregnated each year and that over one million young babies (called “bobby calves” by the farming industry), are considered toRead More…

Living a vegan lifestyle and eating a diet free from animal products can not only be rewarding in terms of ethics, it can also pay off in terms of health1. Fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and pulses all have huge benefits beyond merely keeping a healthy body weight. An increased intake of vitamins, minerals andRead More…

When counting the cost of meat production there are many factors to consider – money, environmental impact, water expenditure are obvious, but one major cost that is sometimes forgotten about is grain feed. While water and environment have localised implications for New Zealand, grain has become a more globalised issue. It is often produced inRead More…

When discussing the “price” of milk it’s easy to overlook an important component – instead of the numbers on a shopping receipt, it’s the cost in terms of water that the public needs to become far more aware of. When all the different requirements are tallied, it becomes clear that a litre of milk requiresRead More…

The meat industry doesn’t advertise these statistics. The more meat you eat, the higher your cancer risk. Practically all anti-cancer diets recommended by experts recommend the reduction of red meat from your diet and to move to a plant-based diet. According to The World Health Organisation and The World Cancer Research Fund, diet and nutritionalRead More…

Most people believe that milk is a healthy food choice, but is this a marketing myth perpetuated by the dairy industry? There is a reason that a large number of people are lactose intolerant. The human body is not designed to digest lactose after weaning. Cow’s milk contains lactose, therefore many people cannot digest cow’sRead More…

A car road trip from Christchurch will take you past seemingly endless fields of grass. There are cows, sheep and giant irrigation machines. There are hedges and fences, but a distinct lack of native trees. The Canterbury Plains have been stripped bare of its once extensive lowland forests. No more towering kahikateas, no more…Read More.

Humans are the most powerful species on this planet, but does that automatically give us the moral right to do whatever we want to with animals? Many dictators and tyrants have enslaved, tortured and murdered their fellow citizens over the centuries because, for whatever reason, they felt superior and had the power to…Read More.